Some conventionally prepared food items include froth or foam. For example, cappuccino, milk shakes, and some soups may have froth or foam. While conventionally prepared food items may be considered preferable by some consumers, other consumers are increasingly demanding the convenience of consumer prepared instant food alternatives. In order to accommodate consumer preferences, manufactures have developed instant food products which give consumers the food products they demand from a convenient instant food product by developing instant food items which have the same or similar characteristics as conventionally prepared food items. One challenge for manufacturers is how to produce a food product having froth or foam from an instant food item.
One prior solution used to manufacture an instant food product which has froth or foam is through the use of powdered foaming compositions which produce foam upon reconstitution in a liquid. Foaming powder compositions have been used to impart froth or foamed texture to a wide variety of foods and beverages. For example, foaming compositions have been used to impart froth or foamed texture to instant cappuccino and other coffee mixes, instant refreshing beverage mixes, instant soup mixes, instant milkshake mixes, instant dessert toppings, instant sauces, hot or cold cereals, and the like, when combined with water, milk, or other suitable liquid.
One prior method for manufacturing a foaming composition is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 6,713,113 which discloses a method for manufacturing a powdered soluble foaming ingredient comprised of a matrix containing carbohydrate, protein, and entrapped pressurized gas produced by heating the composition above the glass transition temperature. Heating these components above the glass transition temperature potentially leads to nonoxidative browning (Maillard) reactions that can adversely affect the appearance, flavor and shelf-life of packaged food products.
WO 2004/019699 discloses another process for forming a foaming composition where a protein composition is subjected to gasification at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the composition. The foaming composition preferably contains a plasticizer such as a carbohydrate polyol or sugar alcohol and the foaming composition that forms the basis of all working examples disclosed therein contains carbohydrate glycerol at a level of 5% by weight.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0026836 discloses a method for forming tablets or powders of carbohydrate-based pharmaceuticals or foods which includes subjecting tablets or powders which comprise a beverage base such as soluble coffee, foamed powder, sugar and creamer to pressure and temperature above the glass transition temperature to produce a tablet or powder with increased solubility or dispersability on contact with water. In addition, a method is disclosed which promotes the dissolution or dispersion of a tablet or non-foaming powder by subjecting the tablet or powder to pressurized gas so that gas is entrapped therein to promote dissolution or dispersion of the tablet or powder on contact with water. It is notable that all examples provided therein of chemically compounded soluble compositions are carbohydrate-based powder or tablet compositions containing protein. Improved dissolution of tablets containing entrapped gas is demonstrated in working examples therein. However, improved dissolution or dispersability of powders, foaming or non-foaming, containing entrapped gas is not demonstrated in any working example therein.
Although prior methods exist for producing foaming food and beverage additives, there is still a need for a method for producing foaming compositions without the drawbacks of current methods. For example, prior methods subject the target compositions to high temperatures above the glass transition temperature which may result in browning of the composition, and off-flavors being produced.